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What Is a Biogeographic Transition Zone?

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Abstract

A biogeographic transition zone is a geographical area of overlap, with a gradient of replacement and partial segregation between different biotas (sets of taxa sharing a similar geographic distribution as a product of a common history). It is an area where physical features and environmental conditions allow the mixture and co-occurrence of species belonging to two or more biotas, but also constrain their distribution further into one another. The biogeographic affinities of the taxa assigned to these biotas are the most fundamental information considered to analyze accurately biogeographic transition zones. Ecological biogeographers have plotted the frequency of different distribution patterns on maps, detecting gradual changes in their relative contribution to a given area and identifying the most heterogeneous places in terms of distributional patterns as transition zones. Evolutionary biogeographers have found transition zones particularly interesting for analyzing causal connections between evolutionary and geological processes at large spatial and temporal scales. Biogeographic transition zones constitute natural laboratories for investigating evolutionary and ecological principles shaping biotic assembly. Additionally, they represent places where different evolutionary lineages coexist, having important implications for conservation, particularly when they also exhibit high diversity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Museo de Zoología ‘Alfonso L. Herrera’Facultad de Ciencias, UNAMMexico CityMexico

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